This story is stuffed with spoilers for “The Last of Us” Season 2, particularly the finale.

Season 2 of HBO’s “The Last of Us” ends with the last word cliffhanger (severely, you probably have not seen and don’t need to know, please cease studying proper now): An Abby (Kaitlyn Dever) vs. Ellie (Bella Ramsey) face-off through which solely Abby has a weapon. As Ellie cries out, a gun goes off and … we’re despatched again in time to Day 1, Abby’s viewpoint.

So if any of y’all have been on the lookout for some type of closure, emotional or narrative, nicely, you’ve got a little bit of a wait.

The episode itself performed out like a mini-epic. Selecting up the place final week’s largely flashback episode ended, Ellie returns to the theater to search out Jesse (Younger Mazino) tending to Dina (Isabela Merced), who received an arrow by way of the leg, courtesy of the Seraphites, in Episode 5. When Dina refuses an anesthetic slug of alcohol through the proceedings, Jesse will get the wind up. As he and Ellie then got down to discover Tommy (Gabriel Luna), he (kinda) methods Ellie into revealing Dina’s being pregnant.

That admission solely provides gasoline to the stress between Ellie, along with her obsessive must make Abby pay for killing Joel, and Jesse, who’s offended at Ellie for placing her private need for revenge above the wants of the neighborhood again in Jackson. Excessive phrases are spoken earlier than the 2 break up up, with Jesse going to seek for Tommy, Ellie to proceed monitoring Abby.

After a frankly bizarre hero’s journey through which she braves stormy seas and faces execution by the Seraphites, Ellie makes it to the deserted aquarium to search out Abby. There she surprises Mel (Ariela Barer) and Owen (Spencer Lord), two of the previous Fireflies who have been with Abby when she killed Joel (Pedro Pascal). When Owen reaches for a gun, Ellie fires, taking pictures him by way of the throat. The bullet additionally, alas, hits Mel, who reveals her superior being pregnant and, as she bleeds out, begs Ellie to chop the newborn out. Horrified, Ellie can do no such factor, and Mel dies at the same time as Jesse and Tommy present up.

Ellie (Bella Ramsey) additionally has to battle the weather in “The Last of Us” Season 2 finale.

(Liane Hentscher / HBO)

It’s a strong and horrible scene. Upon their return to the security of the theater, Ellie is, understandably, very shaken and seems to be rethinking the knowledge of her revenge tour when Abby exhibits up and kills Jesse (sob). As Ellie takes accountability for Mel and Owen’s deaths and struggles to clarify, we see her unique fury mirrored in Abby’s face. She factors the gun at Ellie, a shot rings out and the story resets on Day 1 of the outbreak.

The Instances’ Lorraine Ali, Tracy Brown and Mary McNamara focus on the finale and the season that got here earlier than it.

McNamara: As somebody who has not performed the sport however has watched numerous tv, I’m going to make the wild guess that Ellie just isn’t lifeless. Not that I count on to find this for fairly some time, as the ultimate scene signifies that Season 3 will likely be giving us Abby’s backstory earlier than bringing us (one hopes) again to the theater and the sequence’ current.

This finale, like a lot of what preceded it, felt each rushed and oddly gradual. This season has been very a lot (and at occasions too clearly) centered on Ellie’s progress, as an individual and a primary character. And except her love for Dina, I’m undecided how a lot is there. That Ellie is relentless has been made abundantly clear; ditto the truth that she is confused about her function in life. However I admit I used to be relieved when Jesse learn her the riot act about how this mission of vengeance put so many individuals in peril, together with and particularly the girl Ellie claims to like.

The stakes in Season 1 have been very clear — get Ellie to the place she can be utilized to make a treatment — even when they have been subverted ultimately. This season, the primary stress seems to be extra about Ellie changing into mature sufficient to just accept that not all heroes need to make dramatic sacrifices or win a blood feud.

That’s a high-quality message, nevertheless it required numerous consideration on her emotional progress, which truthfully appeared to happen largely within the last couple of minutes, whereas providing solely tantalizing slivers of the bigger forces round her. How do you introduce a loopy cult and never provide any actual clarification for it? How do you enlist Jeffrey Wright (or for that matter, Hettienne Park) as WLF commanders after which give them so little to do? To not point out poor Mel and Owen, who’re sacrificed, apparently, merely to broaden Ellie’s worldview.

I notice that a few of that is about staying true(ish) to the sport, which I perceive gives completely different viewpoints, however even with the action-packed finale, it’s laborious to not really feel like Season 2 was merely a preamble to Season 3. What do you suppose, “Last of Us” participant Tracy Brown?

Isaac (Jeffrey Wright) stays a thriller in “The Last of Us” Season 2 finale.

(Liane Hentscher / HBO)

Brown: I’ve to agree with you, Mary — the finale’s pacing felt a bit awkward because it barreled its approach towards the attitude shift into Abby’s facet of the story that can probably be the main focus of Season 3, whereas additionally attempting to pack in acquainted moments from the sport. I additionally suppose you’re feeling a model of the confusion and frustration that “The Last of Us: Part II” gamers felt when Ellie and Abby’s showdown on the theater abruptly reduce to one thing fully completely different and also you’re abruptly being pressured to play because the character you’ve spent hours attempting to search out.

Within the recreation, up till that cliffhanger, you’ve primarily been enjoying as Ellie outdoors of some sequences earlier than Joel’s demise. Gamers don’t be taught a lot in regards to the Washington Liberation Entrance or the Seraphites or their battle till they get to Abby’s facet of the story. And if you’re enjoying a recreation, you’re used to realizing solely as a lot because the character you’re enjoying as and studying extra about any enemies as you go. You’re additionally far more mission-oriented — as nice as a recreation’s story is, you’re primary focus is gathering as a lot info as you’ll be able to to perform your purpose. The mission and the themes are a bit extra simple within the first “Last of Us” recreation.

In “The Last of Us: Part II,” there’s a bait and swap. You begin the sport’s primary storyline enjoying as Ellie, with the idea that your mission is to get revenge, solely to search out your self abruptly enjoying as Abby. As a result of “Part II” is extra about an exploration of trauma and cycles of violence, Abby and her story need to be greater than one thing you find out about as Ellie. Within the recreation, the attitude shift is crucial and revelatory as a result of, navigating any discomfort whereas enjoying as Abby is a part of the expertise. It’s one thing depending on the distinctive approach gamers grow to be hooked up to characters they play as.

In tv, tales can unfold in another way. As a result of audiences will not be enjoying as Ellie, they are often launched to Abby’s ties to the occasions in Salt Lake Metropolis and characters like Isaac (Wright) a lot ahead of within the recreation as a result of we’re not locked into one perspective. And that freedom brings its personal challenges. I also needs to point out that as acclaimed because the franchise is, “Part II” was a bit extra divisive amongst gamers too. Lorraine, what did you consider the finale?

Ali: You’ve each expressed lots of the identical emotions I’ve in regards to the finale and about Season 2 on the whole. Does that imply I can have the evening off? If I took my cues from Ellie, I’d do exactly that. Ellie predictably put her personal pursuits above everybody and the whole lot else, which didn’t go away a lot room for an fascinating story twist or character progress within the Season 2 finale. To Mary’s level about pacing, Episode 7 spent valuable time hammering away on what we already know: Ellie’s want for revenge put everybody who cares about her in peril. Poor Dina. The one approach Jesse was getting that crossbow bolt out of her leg was pulling it straight by way of. The credit are practically able to roll by the point Ellie realizes her single-minded quest is as barbaric as Abby’s killing of Joel, however not earlier than she gunned down a pregnant girl.

Tracy, I’m wondering if the difficulty the present had selecting out the place to spend its time is partly a game-to-TV adaptation drawback. You talked about the shifting views within the recreation, of gamers seeing the world by way of Ellie’s after which Abby’s eyes. However serieswatchers are a passive viewers and that left the present with numerous choices to deal with and/or miss. The finale’s hopscotching from situation to situation appeared prefer it was born out of obligation fairly than function. Ellie’s uneven boat experience, the rogue wave washing her ashore, her seize and launch by the hands of the cult — all have been colourful and dramatic however felt abrupt and even extraneous to the story. That stated, the decaying Costco storefront was a pleasant contact even when it was completely random.

Lastly, I beloved the Seattle-centric soundtrack and poster selections of grunge bands like Nirvana, Pearl Jam and Soundgarden. However numerous nice feminine bands got here out of the Pacific Northwest too, and I can’t assist however really feel the feral screams of seven Yr B— would have been an ideal soundtrack for Ellie’s rage. So what can we all take into consideration the final moments of the finale, which set us up for Season 3?

Jesse (Younger Mazino) just isn’t too happy with Dina (Isabela Merced) and Ellie (Bella Ramsey) in “The Last of Us” Season 2 finale.

McNamara: I really like the granular music criticism, Lorraine! For the lifetime of me, I couldn’t work out what to make of Ellie’s transient seize by the Seraphites, which felt loads like finale padding — don’t neglect the loopy cult within the woods about which we all know nothing but! — and even her “Twelfth Night”-like near-drowning. (“What country, friends, is this?”)

I can see how the swap from Ellie to Abby may work within the recreation — you’ll by no means perceive your “enemy” till you stroll a mile in her footwear — however for a sequence to flip viewpoints seasonally (versus episodically) is an enormous ask for viewers, particularly these not conversant in the sport.

Aside from Ellie and Dina’s burgeoning relationship, a lot of this season felt like an enormous teaser reel for Season 3. Ramsey is a proficient actor, however the process of carrying the present by portraying a recognizable teen on a sophisticated existential journey in the course of a life-or-death journey story is a formidable one, particularly with out the advantage of an older, wiser information/co-star. However then nobody stated adapting a recreation to a sequence could be simple.

As for the ultimate moments, nicely, as I stated, I don’t suppose Ellie’s lifeless, although Jesse definitely is, which is tragic — he and Tommy have been the true heroes of Season 2. I’m intrigued by the “Day 1“-ness of the final scene. I always like when postapocalyptic tales take the time to explain how it all went down. So I will be counting the months to see what happens next, which I suppose is what every TV writer wants.

Brown: I’ll refrain from spoiling Ellie’s fate here, even though the game with the answer came out in 2020! But I don’t think it’s a spoiler to say that the cut to Abby’s “Seattle Day 1” indicators the present is probably going sticking to the construction of the sport — that means Season 3 will inform Abby’s story, following the previous Firefly for a similar three days that Ellie has spent within the Emerald Metropolis main as much as their violent reunion. If the present stays true to the sport, we gained’t be seeing what occurs to Ellie following that cliffhanger gunshot till the story reaches that a part of “Day 3” from Abby’s perspective. Sorry, Mary!

I used to be a bit shocked after I realized the present was going to observe this identical route, particularly after it launched Abby’s backstory so early. One of many perks of tv is that it’s potential to observe the a number of storylines of a couple of character, so I believed the present may strive weaving Ellie and Abby’s narratives a bit extra. One advantage of following the sport’s highway map, although, is there are distinct breaks within the total story to construct seasons round. (I’m calling it now that the Season 3 finale will likely be round their conflict on the theater once more.)

Again to Lorraine’s level, I do suppose that among the struggles of this season comes all the way down to the alternatives round which recreation moments to present house to. Some game-to-TV moments have been very profitable, like Joel taking Ellie to the museum for her birthday in Episode 6. Others, like Ellie taking that boat to get to the aquarium, have been a bit much less profitable. Ellie getting tossed round these waves was an important nod to that sequence within the recreation, however on the present, it wasn’t as clear why she even wanted to hop on the boat to start with.

We’ve all talked about how Dina and Ellie’s relationship has been one of many highlights of this season. With out spoiling something, what I’m most interested in is how Ellie’s pleasure round Dina’s being pregnant and changing into a dad goes to have an effect on the story to come back. How about you, Lorraine, is there hope for “The Last of Us” to win you again?

Ali: There may be at all times hope, Tracy, even within the blighted, rotting, fungus-filled world of “The Last of Us.” My meager hope for the Season 3 opener? That Ellie emerges a survivor, and her comeback scene is ready to Pearl Jam’s “Alive.”